Isle of Wight councillors at the forefront of the campaign to stop ExxonMobil’s pipeline have welcomed an Island MP’s lobbying of government on the matter.
Councillors Nick Stuart and Claire Critchison have both expressed support for Richard Quigley MP’s communication with the Labour government over concerns about the proposed Solent CO2 pipeline, an action announced on Monday in a public statement from the parliamentarian’s office.
The representative for Isle of Wight West said he had written to the secretary of state for energy security and net zero’s parliamentary private secretary to make his “concerns known” and to “understand the government’s official position”.
He also said he had written to Bill Esterson MP, the newly appointed chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, to raise the issue.
Mr Quigley said he had made his opposition to the American oil and gas corporation’s proposal clear and would continue to oppose the plans.
Cllr Critichison, who represents Chale, Niton and Shorwell on the Isle of Wight Council, said:
“I welcome Richard’s statement, it will need us all to jointly work together to fight this proposal.
“The viability of the disposal site and the safety aspects alone should stop the pipeline from being agreed but we must ensure our government have all the facts and realise that the protected areas on and around the Isle of Wight and the South Coast are too important to destroy with the ExxonMobil plan.
“Alternatives such as shipping the C02 would be a more suitable solution in this location as we progress the transition away from fossil fuel usage.”
Cllr Stuart, Isle of Wight Council representative for Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet, said:
“We welcome the efforts of Richard as our MP to reach out to ministers and raise the issues of the technology and the massive damage that the pipeline would cause to the Island and to the New Forest.
“Ministers have spoken of their support for carbon capture and referenced specific projects and there are concerns that this project will be caught up in the enthusiasm to tackle the issue of CO2 pollution.
“And we have serious concerns over Exxon’s efforts to falsely claim that this is a done deal with proven engineering.
“All while intimidating landowners to provide access threatening them with legal action, before Exxon have made any formal application.”
A spokesperson for ExxonMobil has previously said:
“We recognise there are diverse views across the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, and we’re eager to hear them through our consultation, which is open until September 30.
“The pipeline will be buried underground and once it has been installed, we will reinstate the land to its former state where possible.
“Typically, this includes replacing topsoil, restoring access routes and fencing, reinstating drainage, and reseeding and replanting as appropriate.
“Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a proven technology, recognised by the UK Government as essential to reducing emissions while meeting energy needs, and CO2 pipelines have been safely used worldwide for more than 50 years.
“We are committed to protecting the Isle of Wight’s environment and will carefully review any potential impacts on local habitats and wildlife.”
ExxonMobil has been approached for further comment.
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